Springfield daily republic. [volume] (Springfield, O. [Ohio]) 1887-1888, 1887-05-13
GENERAL kFTIER'> ORITION AND
DftTIDN.


General Keifrr received such an ovation
al Washington Yesterday aS to cause the
man Buynron Ia feel that hi, yindctiSr
persecution had effected hut little. unless it
might be tn Increase the enthusiasm IN
General krifrr's favor The Grafton wa>
one of the generals master efforts, and en-
lhuslastic congratulations sh"wered up"n
hun from all sides The occasion was
grand ovation Ia thr orator, and, rs he eN-
pressed il. was onr al The rrnudr-t days "G
ms life.
Here in Springfield. Ia General Refers
old and everyday friends. the result is par
ticulary gratifying: but it is more esre-
cially gratifying to know in what high eS-
TEEN our honured citizen i held abroad, as
is shown in the following editorial from this
mornings Ohiu STATE J"uyTtul:
The Grafton of General Keifrr at the
uuyeiliRg of the Garncd statue yesterday
Was worthy the occasion and the subject.
During the early periods Of the war for
the Union. Garfield and keiieT were close
and intimate friends. Closely resembling
each other in physical and mental Peculi-
ariiIeS and build. the one possessed the
graceS and retinem-ntS and culture and
scholarship. the other the strong. steady
sense that had been early developed by
contact with labor and with the world. The
canal boy who had become a college pro
feSSor. and the farmers Toy, who had bur
rowed through a law course. We're irTeslstl-
bly, drawn together. and whenever possible
sought each others companiouShip. on the
march or in the camp. They recognized.
amidst many differences. the strength. 10y
alty and SteadtaStneSS of each others ma
ture.
in the summer of 1862. keiter left the
Western armies Ia begin in the East the
splendid career that made him malnr
general. Garfield remained in the West
To pursue the equally hrillian pathway
that led him {" a major generalship.
Some years after the war. the two men
met again in the halls of congress. and
the friendship and intimacy Mere renewed
not to be- again interrupted except by the
bullet of the assassin. IL can hardy be
said that death has divided them. Gratield
lives again today in the smgularly compre-
hensive and glowing eulogy pronounced by
his surviving friend. and the latter is being
honored with r similar discipline Of detraC-
tion. malice and envy Ia that which !
-Spurred Garfield 10 greater usefulness and
duty IL is a singular fact and illustrates |
what may perhaps be- regarded a. the nat !
ural law of Sls nder. that the maligner> of
the living soldier and statesman are almost |
uniformly ipentical with those whose mai |
ice prosecuted the soldier and statesman |
now dead.
On all accounts, then. it seemed peculiar |
ly fitting that kefer should, on this great |
occasion. be- selected Ia pay tribute to the |
memory Of the illustrious dead. and we'll |
has he performed his task.
Ii is seldom that ~ much of lofty thought. !
political philosophy. illuminated history. |
suggestive patriotism and eloquent -ulogium !
an, embodied in the same number Of words |
aS in General Refers "raii"it. The reader |
will select and enjoy the strong points for |
himself: but the pictures of Garfield IN de /
bate. a. a social force. and a. a friend oi |
the unfortunate. are drawn with master /
hand. The strokes are few in number. but /
the results are living. speaking portraits of |
Garfield in the best and nohleSt phases of /
his life